That's Real NATO - my R1 FAL clone

Mark @ ARS didn't put any on, just an oil. I added a bit more before I shot it. When I bought the Rhodie bolt and carrier, it had a bit of grease on it. I was planning to do a light coat of Mobil 1 synthetic (same grease I use on my M1s and sometimes on my AKs) since it's metal on metal sliding. The Brownell's video on lubrication interestingly only mentioned oil and implied it should be run fairly dry, which was somewhat contrary to my original expectations.


I just bought a second FAL receiver this week, already prepared to start the next project. [smile]
Is there a RSF field manual for firearms , I,bet light oil was more than enough. Even garands dont need a lot.
My Great Uncle said you only put a small dab of grease from the pot on the op rod guide and bottom of the bolt.
Said that little pot of grease should last many years. He also said state side only oil was applied to keep rust away?
 
I don't see anything in the gunsmithing PDF I have made by ARS about grease or oil.

I cleaned last night and put a small dab of grease on the bolt carrier in areas of wear/contact--just a bit. A little oil elsewhere.

The joint pin on mine was so tight I actually needed a mallet and a punch to get it out. It was one of those scary moments where part of you is convinced you're going to break something, but it did work and nothing looks amiss. The FAL is actually quite easy to clean. The only other tricky part for me is gas plug with the spring loaded piston. On mine it's kind of a bi-atch to get it back in place and the launcher sight gets snagged on the bipod cuts.

The next FAL is supposed to have NBC barrel and the specific type of launcher sight is said to be very rare so it might have a standard plug.

Planning to shoot the R1 again today, so we'll see if the grease impedes anything.
 
Is there a RSF field manual for firearms , I,bet light oil was more than enough. Even garands dont need a lot.
My Great Uncle said you only put a small dab of grease from the pot on the op rod guide and bottom of the bolt.
Said that little pot of grease should last many years. He also said state side only oil was applied to keep rust away?

I read a thread on ARFCOM where a British RAF ground troop vet said that they just lubed (with oil) the three main friction points on the gun. I'll probably buy a Dutch FAL manual once I get onto that project. Guess I'll get to learn what the Dutch word is for "gun oil" or "lubricant." Might come in handy if I visit Amsterdam stag ;)

Let's keep it real. Everyone needs an AK first, then an FAL.

I've owned a .223 Saiga, a 7.62x54r Vepr, a Springfield Socom 16, and now a full FAL and a parts gun in progress (hint: I really enjoy semi-auto .30 caliber rifles).

I think an AK is an important learning curve in gun ownership. Its good to know the ins and outs of AK ownership. But I think the market for AKs these days is such a shadow of its former self that there's really not much more reason to buy an AK other than "I want an AK." AKs aren't that much cheaper than a basic Anderson-lower AR in normal markets like RI, NH, or Maine. A WASR from Atlantic is $720. Same retailer, their cheapest AR is $420. The days of the "cheap" AK are over for retail customers buying new, whole rifles. Combined with how much slower an AK is to an AR on the clock and how the AR is "barbie dolls for men" in terms of modularity and interchangeability, there's not much objective benefit to owning an AK for someone exploring the market. But owning an AK is... a very fun experience.

The FAL is really the same deal, not being really "better" than anything else on the market, but with FAL builds, you can still buy and build real pieces of history. You can buy Rhodesian-marked FAL parts. You can't really buy actual Soviet AK parts. The closest thing we have is the Yugoslav parts kits from the Balkans War. But that's a very small market in comparison to the whole FAL parts kit universe. With FALs, you can build historic clones of guns that were used in the Malay Emergency, Aden, Vietnam, Rhodesia, the South African Border Wars, the Falklands War, etc. Not discrediting the (brutal) history of the Balkans Wars, just viewing the battlefield pickup Yugoslav AK market in comparison to the FAL kit market. If you want history, buy a FAL.

Between the FAL, M1A/M14, and AK, I would take the FAL. Between the AR and the FAL, its a very close call. Depends on the intended application.
 
Back
Top Bottom